Published: Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 12:00 a.m.

MIAMI - Thais Prado hugged Mark Lunsford outside the courthouse Wednesday and shared a brief private conversation with him.
A jury had just recommended the death penalty for John Evander Couey for the February 2005 kidnapping, rape and murder of Lunsford's 9-year-old daughter, Jessica.
Prado, 20, was one of the jurors.
"It was very emotional to see a father that experienced such a great loss. [There was] such an outpouring of emotion, tears in his eyes, the gratitude," Prado said.
Lunsford presented her, juror Marvin Gunn, 38, and alternate juror, Osvaldo Pradere, 47, with three pink bracelets. The bracelets memorialize Jessica and symbolize the fight against sexual predators her father has launched. Lunsford posed for pictures with the three and talked. Pradere, who has two small children, began to cry.
Until late Wednesday afternoon, the jurors were known only by their juror numbers and scattered information about their jobs and personal lives given during jury selection. After the trial ended, these three agreed to talk about the case.
The jurors expressed some sympathy for Couey, after extensive defense testimony that he was abused as a child.
"I do have sympathy for him, but it was a terrible crime," Gunn said.
"It's unforgivable," Prado added.
She said as prosecutors detailed the horrible crimes Couey was on trial for she would look over at the frail, balding 5-foot-4-inch defendant.
"I would look at him and say, 'Is this the man they are talking about?'" she said.
Gunn said an interview Couey gave to police in Savannah, Ga., when he was first taken into custody persuaded him to dismiss defense claims that Couey is mentally retarded. Couey had fled to Savannah after Jessica's disappearance, and he lied to police there when they asked if he knew where she lived. The interview was part of the evidence introduced during the trial.
Prado said she also noticed Couey doodling in a coloring book during the trial, but it did not influence her.
"It could be normal. It could be a show, can't know for sure."
Only Pradere seemed to know the magnitude of the case when he heard the indictment during jury selection.
"When Judge [Richard] Howard read their names I was like, 'Oh my God.'"Christopher Curry may be reached at chris.curry@starbanner.com or (352) 867-4115.

MIAMI - Thais Prado hugged Mark Lunsford outside the courthouse Wednesday and shared a brief private conversation with him.<BR>
A jury had just recommended the death penalty for John Evander Couey for the February 2005 kidnapping, rape and murder of Lunsford's 9-year-old daughter, Jessica.<BR>
Prado, 20, was one of the jurors.
"It was very emotional to see a father that experienced such a great loss. [There was] such an outpouring of emotion, tears in his eyes, the gratitude," Prado said.<BR>
Lunsford presented her, juror Marvin Gunn, 38, and alternate juror, Osvaldo Pradere, 47, with three pink bracelets. The bracelets memorialize Jessica and symbolize the fight against sexual predators her father has launched. Lunsford posed for pictures with the three and talked. Pradere, who has two small children, began to cry.<BR>
Until late Wednesday afternoon, the jurors were known only by their juror numbers and scattered information about their jobs and personal lives given during jury selection. After the trial ended, these three agreed to talk about the case.<BR>
The jurors expressed some sympathy for Couey, after extensive defense testimony that he was abused as a child.<BR>
"I do have sympathy for him, but it was a terrible crime," Gunn said.<BR>
"It's unforgivable," Prado added.
She said as prosecutors detailed the horrible crimes Couey was on trial for she would look over at the frail, balding 5-foot-4-inch defendant.<BR>
"I would look at him and say, 'Is this the man they are talking about?'" she said.<BR>
Gunn said an interview Couey gave to police in Savannah, Ga., when he was first taken into custody persuaded him to dismiss defense claims that Couey is mentally retarded. Couey had fled to Savannah after Jessica's disappearance, and he lied to police there when they asked if he knew where she lived. The interview was part of the evidence introduced during the trial.<BR>
Prado said she also noticed Couey doodling in a coloring book during the trial, but it did not influence her.<BR>
"It could be normal. It could be a show, can't know for sure."<BR>
Only Pradere seemed to know the magnitude of the case when he heard the indictment during jury selection.<BR>
"When Judge [Richard] Howard read their names I was like, 'Oh my God.'"<BR>
<i>Christopher Curry may be reached at chris.curry@starbanner.com or (352) 867-4115.</i>